New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-24
SWEPT BY A HURRICANE.
HEAVY LOSSES ALONG THE RIO GRANDE.


BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS, AND MATAM0RAs, MEXICO,
WRECKED by WIND AND DELUGED WITH WATER
BROWNSVILLE Texas, Sept. GA hurricane visited
this region on Wednesday night. Tho rain accompany
Ing the storm deuged the country for miles. The vii
laSe OF Santa Cruz, opposite Brownsville, was sub
merged for several hours. The Rio Grande rap
idly and ragged like the sea- and tho backwater over
flowed many miles OF fertile country. Hardly a tree
is standing tho city, and several hundred acres
of valuable sugar-cane blown fiat to the earth
The roof OF Masonic Hall carried away. Scanlon's
largo OIL warehouse was demolished. Tho telegraph
wires prOstratcd. The damage here and at Mata
moras is estimated at Sl,O00,000. In Brownsville
seventy small houses blown down and 300 others
wero unrOOfed and rendered unfit for occupancy In
Matamoras dozen houses Of better class and from
$50 TO 200 small houses ruined, while from 400
to 500 others were unroofed In the country on the
American side of the river Incalculabe damage was
done Many heads OF cattle and sheep wero lost ana
the crops OF cDOn, and sugar cane wcc destroyed
About year had passed since the storm OF 1850,
and the remainder of the funds collected FOR the relle
Of the sufferers by that disaster was being distributed
when threatening signs Of the approach OF another
gale were being noted. The telegraph several days
ago gave notice OF a hurricane southwest OF Havana
moving this way and for three days the weather
indications showed the approach OF storm' iho"s"
tho barometer and the tide in the Gull usually eNo
warning Of the coming Of bad weather. this s'or B"'o
no notice Of it, immediate approach. At p III. on
Tuesday the weather that had been blowing Tor seNca
days increased In hcrccncss with heavy gusts Vi ram
and In a short time hurricane was on The towns III
IFS fll force the wind reaching. In the hcEht Vi 'hc
Storm a velocity Of seventy eight miles an hour' All
NIGHT long il continued. Morning dawncd on Sceho
Of de.claiio Water filed the streets, through "h'ch
tho roaring north wind drove the rain Ike great NocS
of small shot The fallen trees ruins of houses anu
nr,,.tratc fences were half submerged 20 p m IN;
Inc wind fell almost to cain whlch Iasci WI ~
~ m when the wind came from the soulh' ~
.Ln,v. that fine vortex of The hurricane, a. Nd- -" &
ca.c of tno-c Of l--O and l~-6, pd-~'u ul,,f gat,
tLl- rrrdon About D. m. yesterday NC WIN. VIM. "e eI
ir.,n v'l,nt Gaming this time from the Son,h an. ar.
'inncd iiut mi. morning The Storm lasttu dVgn. v
tbuty. five hours The rainfall wa ~ W '"'"'
average temperature Wa - d'pl'''. oro,ter and
Tho diameter of the storm wa NV" an,, --o
II. Lnrafion wa longer than those OF -, anu 10
rb, force va greater than that OF nv ~" ono ot
Grn.,r wear but not great a that OF ,uc ' u rot
I--n rlr ac, that the bulk of the propie VIZ {r
Ter prepared for H. coming ana !na' r,, nt lat
tutlIut. had been swept away by the Storm VI
vcsr wa- tLr only reason for H. not bcihS h"iV u"
siIuctNc. . , .,..,,, ,tc roor many Of
,,t.u, arr. without rs-uufcc-. Sh'llH bI" ~ III.
i ,'a- faWtIIc- buf 10 ~tlll possible 10 aH o"S
uo,tt.n nf those in need. Last might ~ i'iIhii "t
the hurricane thieves entered the mouse "a tr,'t
..,,,r, ,f the edge Of the town, ana slulc ""'."
,,rt.i,In, $500 iu Mexican coin AMI some cuiI.hDS
r., Vai ,n,n-a- the narrow streets In the storm.
were torrents. FScn ia the morr cth'Idi al P"' r,r
tlr t,yn the streets are now hll'l WIN Ho
I'LL huil,ue- arc full Of hou-'r-- people anu no
atith,rr. arc doing ali In their power fof lh'ii'
Among The merchant. goods nave U'ttn -, a,L
d,marrd i,y water The -ufeIln- IN the Town a's
courtry l. severe ~ the ra.luad station a.
.lrd- were blown down and the Huc was I'P'I''' ''
undated at several points.